Cleansing the palate with a lifestyle change.
Facing a lifestyle change is never easy, but all it took for Australian meat industry ambassador and pie judge for the Baking Association of Australia to take the leap, was three women and five years of nagging.
Originally from Brisbane, retired radio and TV guest presenter and current food critic, Bob Retallick, and his wife, retired nurse and avid speed reader, Glenda, let go of their immaculate, quarter-acre Brisbane home to
finally make the move to Living Gems Toowoomba last November.
Bob said they haven’t looked back since they selected their corner block for their new Living Gems home, but it wasn’t easy making the decision to move to an over-50s resort.
In fact, it took his wife and their two daughters several years to persuade him to even consider it, as he believed over-50s resorts were no better than an “old people’s home”.
“I was so anti moving into one, you’ve got no idea and every time I would chat to friends, I would literally state that the women in my family are just trying to get me into a nursing home,” said Bob laughing.
“For five years I wasn’t having it, but because I travel so much overseas for work, my wife was starting to get bored and lonely. She can read up to four books a day, but they weren’t enough anymore so I had no choice but to finally listen, and boy am I glad I did,” he said.
The couple started to look at several places but said none were as good as what they saw at Living Gems. It ticked the boxes but, most importantly, they had to be no more than a two-hour drive away from their six grandchildren, five girls and one boy, who are all very impressed with their grandparents’ new home.
“The grandkids tell everyone that Nanny and Poppy live in a holiday resort all year round, and our youngest even says that mum and dad will save so much money on holidays now because they can just come to our place. Out of the mouth of babes,” Bob said with pride.
A country boy at heart, Bob has run the Apprentice Butchers & Chefs Competition in Toowoomba for the past four years on top of his national and international food judging commitments, so the move up north had another bonus to it. But he said it was nothing compared to the wonderful community of friends they have made through their transition.
“From the moment we got here we thought the place was magnificent, and everyone took us in as if we were long lost brothers and sisters. We received such a warm welcome, that now when I leave for Brisbane for work, I get there and hate it and just want to get back home to enjoy the new life we have made.”
Now that they are officially the new kids on the block, Bob has already organised catering through his business, Gourmet Bob’s Catering, and entertainment via his contacts to repay the couple’s new community of friends with their own welcome.
So, when asked by his wife what he thinks of Living Gems Toowoomba now?
“I informed her she was right all along and it’s not a damn nursing home, it’s a damn remarkable over-50s community!”
And Bob’s 2023 new year mantra and advice to other men too scared to look at this kind of lifestyle?
“Real men listen to their wives.”
